The revival of the great British cuppa

30th December 2005

Tea has gained more consumers over the last year, following the launch in 2005 of a new campaign by the UK tea industry to highlight the health benefits of tea to a younger audience. As a result, the number of 20-34 year olds drinking tea has increased for the first time in 3 years, with nearly two-thirds now drinking tea on a regular basis.

Tea now accounts for more than a third of all UK drinks consumption, according to new data released by the TNS National Drinks Survey. Tea’s share of total drinks consumption has increased for the first time in thirty years. It now stands at 34% at the expense of alcohol and fizzy drinks, with both these categories losing ‘share of throat’.
 
Independent research by TNS has also confirmed that an increasing number of people are now aware of the health benefits of tea, with significant increases in those understanding the antioxidant and hydrating benefits of drinking tea.
 
Bill Gorman, Executive Director of The Tea Council, said “Tea has always been the nation’s favourite drink, but over the past thirty years that position has been challenged, particularly by soft drinks.”
 
“The data shows that more and more people are becoming aware of the health benefits of regular tea.”  
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Notes to editors
´ Data from the National Drinks Survey carried out by TNS on a sample of 11, 520 individuals aged 2+, every year. This survey has been running for 30 years.
 
´ The number of people who thought black tea contained antioxidants rose from 30.7% in 2004 to 33.5% in 2005. Those who thought tea to be hydrating increased from 39.7% to 41.2% during the same period.